Dallas won’t be worse for wear. Jason Hatcher and Nick Hayden have played very well along the defensive interior. The team does lack depth, but Drake Nevis filled in admirably since he signed with the team three weeks ago.

Ratliff, meanwhile, will search for a new home. The question is whether he is healthy enough to play this season. He wasn’t in Dallas. A team like Chicago or New England — both in need of help at defensive tackle — could take a chance on Ratliff. New Orleans is another option with Ratliff’s former defensive coordinator, Rob Ryan, holding the same position with the Saints.